Business enterprises as well as individuals rely on mobile computing devices, or mobile units (“MUs”), in a variety of situations ranging from basic everyday tasks, such as telecommunications, to highly specialized procedures, such as inventory gathering. As the benefits of utilizing MUs continue to be realized across increasingly diverse industries, the features and capabilities of these products are expanding at a correspondingly rapid pace. In many industries, MUs have gone from fashionable accessories to essential business components used by all levels of personnel.
Accordingly, a demand has developed for MUs to perform complicated tasks quickly, efficiently and reliably. However, as conventional MUs are fitted with more advanced components and software features, sacrifices are often made with respect to power management and user-friendliness. While many methods have been devised attempting to resolve these difficulties, MUs currently continue to suffer from problems of inefficient power usage, complicated operational procedures and on-screen menus, and manual input requirements.
In the ongoing search for solutions to these problems, one aspect of MUs that has remained overlooked is detectable motions and/or spatial orientations of the MUs. From the detectable motions of an MU, valuable information may be extracted from which various predetermined procedures directed at accomplishing some useful end or preventing some harmful result may be executed. Therefore, it is desirable to be able to detect, interpret and utilize the movements and inputs experienced by MUs.